Rasopone JTL034

(Fig. 7; Supp Fig. S37 [online only])

Geographic range. Mexico (Puebla, Veracruz), Honduras.

Diagnosis

Mandible smooth and shining or very faintly striate; anterior clypeal margin truncate; side of head with short erect setae; petiolar node moderately tapering, intermediate between cuboidal and scale-like. Three species are within geographic and size range of R. JTL034:

Rasopone guatemalensis (Fig. 8; Supp Figs. S14 and S15 [online only]): no known local sympatry, but ranges overlap; petiolar node slightly more tapering, scale-like; scape longer (mean SI 86 vs 76); head narrower (mean CI 86 vs 93).

Rasopone politognatha (Fig. 9; Supp Figs. S28 and S29 [online only]): no known local sympatry, but ranges overlap; side of head bare; scape slightly longer (mean SI 82 vs 76).

Rasopone JTL035 (Fig. 9; Supp Fig. S38 [online only]): no known local sympatry but in close proximity in Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, possibly segregating by elevation; somewhat larger and darker red brown; side of head bare.

Measurements, worker: HW 1.11 (1.04–1.15, 3); HL 1.19 (1.12– 1.23, 3); SL 0.85 (0.79–0.91, 3); PTH 0.73 (0.68–0.77, 3); PTL 0.42 (0.39–0.45, 3); CI 93 (92–93, 3); SI 77 (75–79, 3); PTI 58 (56–61, 3).

Biology

This species occurs in wet to moist forest, with records from 170 to 980 m elevation. It is known from four widely separated localities. The three known worker specimens are from Winkler samples of forest floor litter and rotten wood. A male was collected 14 June 2010 in a Malaise trap.

Comments

UCE results unite three workers from widely separated localities. The sister taxon is the single specimen of R. JTL035, which appears to be a more montane version of R. JTL034 that is slightly larger and darker. The specimen of R. JTL035 is from a cloud forest site in Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, while one of the specimens of R. JTL034 is from just a few kilometers away, in the lowland rainforest of Los Tuxtlas Biological Station. However, the Los Tuxtlas specimen of R. JTL034 forms a clade with specimens from Puebla (Mexico) and Honduras. COI data unite a male from Tela, Honduras, with the three worker specimens (Fig. 3).